Brand management is strategy focused. The purpose is to push the strategy no matter what. The only time you change your brand management approach is if you literally run into a wall and sometimes the decision is made to just keep running into the wall anyway.

Impression management’s approach is to walk in with clear goals and a logical strategy, but to stay in the moment and make the smartest play that achieves the goal, not necessarily fulfill the strategy.

These different approaches shows you the end game. Brand management is about brand first all else second. While impression management is about creating a positive, harmonious relationship between brand and people.